The Official FYA Midterm Election Ballot

The FYAers cast their votes on the Young Adult Ballot for Election Day 2010!

HAPPY ELECTION DAY! On behalf of FYA, I'd like to take this opportunity to say that if you are a U.S. citizen, and you are currently breathing, YOU BEST VOTE TODAY. If you don't, and my preferred candidates fail to win, I'll totally blame you, even if we live in different states. BECAUSE VOTING MATTERS YOU GUYS.

In the spirit of democracy, we decided to put together our dream ballot! Not of real politicians, obvs, cos um, most of them are far from ideal, let alone dream-worthy (sucks to be you, America!). Instead, we compiled a list of YA candidates who would do a bang-up job in government office and would most definitely serve our community and not just, like, play golf all day and accept illegal donations from special interest groups. So check out our ballot, and feel free to nominate yr own candidates in the comments! Then we can all indulge in a good group-cry afterwards because reality is depressing.

It might look like Lyra Belacqua comes from a privileged background in academia, but she understands the neglected and the ignored, and will fight anyone to do what's right for children, the underrepresented and the disenfranchised. Her unique upbringing means she's a comfortable in the most distinguished halls and lowest urchin tosses, and she's unafraid to speak truth to power anywhere. People who know her trust her anywhere, and will even follow her through death and out the other side. Lyra for Governor - she gets it done!

Michael Moscovitz has been working tirelessly for America since he was still a teenager. Michael began his entrepreneurial spirit at an early age, when he invented and patented a robotic surgical arm, and both his scientific and philanthropic work have only increased as he grows older. He brings strong diplomatic experience to the Senate through his title as Prince Consort of Genovia, and has worked tirelessly with his wife, Her Royal Highness Princess Amelia Migonette Grimaldi Thermopolis Renaldo, on founding and maintaining the European arm of Greenpeace. Michael Moscovitz will bring sanity, intelligence, diplomacy and hotness BACK to the U.S. Senate!

Peeta's ability to express himself with words makes him an ideal choice as a representative. But what you might not know about him is how good a listener he is. If you watch Mr. Mellark closely, you'll soon see how much he cares about ALL of the people in this community. You might find him handing out bread to the needy one day, painting landscapes to beautify our city the next, and visiting the poor and the elderly. All because he cares.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Natalie Sterling (from Not That Kind of Girl)

Looking for a candidate who will be tough on criminals but compassionate towards consumers? Look no further than Natalie Sterling! Natalie's experience as Student Council President at the highly regarded Ross Academy proves that she knows how to effectively deal with troublemakers, and her contributions towards the community, including her popular Female Empowerment Lock-In, highlight her focus on ordinary citizens. Even when faced with criticism and harassment, Natalie tirelessly defends the democratic values in our Constitution and stands up for the oppressed and disenfranchised. Elect Natalie Sterling as Attorney General, and people will think twice before they mess with our community.

The only candidate born and raised inside of a prison, Finn possesses an impeccable sense of justice and knowledge of the legal system. A staunch believer in due process and the absolute importance of a fair trial, Finn refuses to be swayed by special interests. You can rely on him for decisions that stick to the letter of the law and rulings that rehabilitate rather than simply punish criminals. Under Finn's careful watch, innocent people will never be sent to prison, and the laws of our land will be upheld with equality and fairness. Finn for State Supreme Court Justice-- because no one has more experience with the criminal justice system than he does!

Katsa's dedication to ending violence against women exceeds that of Benson and Stabler. Long proficient in hunting down evildoers and freeing innocents from unjust imprisonment, Katsa is exceptionally qualified for Police Commissioner. She'll never let her personal life get in the way of helping others, and has the strength to do what needs to be done for survival, even if it's not pretty.

What does a Mayor do, exactly? What is their purpose? What function do they serve? If you, like many of us, answered "I don't know" to that question, then Cameron Quick is the ideal choice for mayor. He'll win the hearts and minds of the community just by being himself. And he'll be the hottest mayor. Ever. He might show up for city council meetings, but then again he might not. But you better believe that when the community needs to come together to build something, he'll be there. And he'll get the job done right.

Taylor Markham brings both experience and strategic planning to the role of City Comptroller. No one really knows or understands what a City Comptroller does, which is why Taylor is perfect for the job. She can just make up her own job description while also ensuring that the city retains the rights and usage of all historical landmarks and treehouses. Taylor Markham is on your side. Taylor Markham for the City. Taylor Markham for America!!

Lily Collins as Frankie Landau-Banks (from The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks)

Are you tired of your children learning nothing of value in their schools? Do you look at their curriculum and coursework and wonder why your child is only assigned literature by old, white men? If so, Frankie Landau-Banks is your next School Board President! Frankie understands that children need much more education than what can be learned in endless rehashings of Moby Dick. Working with respected leaders in the education field, Frankie has crafted a 12-point education plan for today's youth, which includes the importance of vocabulary and etymology, strategic planning of pranks, and advanced government classes. Frankie will do her best to ensure that your children are ready for the world that awaits them.